News Release

Canada’s railways partner with U.S. and Mexican peers to support NAFTA renewal

Ottawa / January 22, 2018

The associations representing freight railways in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico today sent a joint letter supporting the renewal of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to trade negotiators from each nation. Leaders of the Railway Association of Canada (RAC), the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Asociación Mexicana de Ferrocarriles (AMF) delivered the letter ahead of NAFTA negotiations being held this week in Montreal.

The associations representing freight railways in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico today sent a joint letter supporting the renewal of the NAFTA to trade negotiators from each nation.

“Railways are the backbone of an integrated North American economy whose success is largely due to NAFTA,” said RAC Acting President Gérald Gauthier. “Canada’s railways stand together with our counterparts in the U.S. and Mexico in encouraging all sides to work collaboratively towards a continued win-win-win approach that builds on the existing framework and the progress that we’ve made as trading partners.”

The letter, signed by Gauthier, AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger and AMF Director General Dr. Iker de Luisa Plazas, stresses the integrated nature of today’s economy, and the importance of a framework that allows North America’s railways to connect customers from nearly every sector to global markets.

“Economic growth tied to NAFTA has allowed railways to invest tens of billions of dollars into their infrastructure while improving productivity and customer service, and fostering innovation,” states the letter. “Collectively, these improvements have enabled railways to maintain the low rates that are required to provide shippers with access to global supply chains and support their success.”

The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) represents more than 50 freight and passenger railway companies that move more than 84 million passengers and $280 billion worth of goods in Canada each year. The RAC advocates on behalf of its members and associate members to ensure that the rail sector remains globally competitive, sustainable, and most importantly, safe. Learn more at www.railcan.ca. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.